Occupational& EnvironmentalMedicineCollege of Human Medicine

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

College of Human Medicine

2017 MICHIGAN WORK-Related deaths

Case Summary

The table below contains preliminary information about Michigan workers who died as a result of an injury sustained while at work. The information has been obtained from public media sources, MIOSHA, and stakeholder reporters. MIFACE has not verified this information; verification may conclude that the death is out of scope.

A MIOSHA program-related fatality is determined by whether the individual who died was employed in an industry included in MIOSHA jurisdiction as defined in Public Act 154 of 1974, as amended and the fatality may be related to a MIOSHA standard.

Case Number

Date of Injury

Occupation

Description

Incident County

125.

6/8/17

Carpenter

A carpenter was fatally electrocuted while using a home-made woodburning tool.

Gratiot

124.

11/10/17

Systems Technician

A systems technician died when the company vehicle he was driving crossed the centerline and struck another vehicle head-on.

Wayne

123.

11/13/17

Towing Business Owner

A towing business owner died from gunshot wounds while assisting a client.

Kent

122.

6/2/17

Farmer

A farmer died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Clinton

121.

1/5/17

Postal Worker

A postal worker fell while delivering mail and died from complications of the fall.

Midland

120.

4/28/17

Farmer

A farmer died from a self-inflicted carbon monoxide poisoning.

Jackson

119.

2/8/17

Business Owner

A business owner received third degree burns which complicated a heart condition, causing his death. The decedent was attempting to change a 100-pound propane cylinder when the incident occurred.

Emmett

118.

12/18/17

Garbage Truck Driver

A garbage truck driver died when he did not slow down for slow-moving traffic ahead and rear-ended a semi trailer.

Lenawee

117.

11/21/17

Truck Driver

A truck driver driving a box truck was stopped in traffic and was struck from behind by a car hauler. The collision caused the box truck to be pushed into the rear of a semi-trailer.

Wayne

116.

12/16/17

Security Guard

A security guard was struck by an out-of-control vehicle. The decedent was working with another security guard at the time of the incident. The decedent noticed the out-of-control vehicle heading for his colleague. The decedent pushed his colleague out of the way, but the decedent could not get out of the way and was struck by the vehicle.

Wayne

115.

12/30/17

Farmer

A farmer died when he reached into a corn picker and his clothing became entangled.

Lapeer

114.

11/13/17

Truck Driver

A truck driver died when his semi-trailer and an SUV sideswiped. The decedent's truck left the roadway, jacknifed, and struck some trees.

Livingston

113.

11/14/17

Store Co-Owner

A store co-owner died from gundshot wounds sustained during a robbery.

Wayne

112.

8/25/72

Police Officer

A police officer died in 2017 from complications of gunshot wounds sustained in 1972 while responding to a robbery.

A skilled tradesman died from injuries sustained when he fell approximately 8 from a ladder that was leaned against a building's gutter. The decedent was cleaning the gutter when it appears he had a sudden cardiac event, causing him to fall from the ladder to the ground. The decedent died from the injuries sustained at the time of the fall.

A handyman was replacing a sump pump at a private residence. The decedent was attempting to retrieve a piece of the float system which had fallin into the pit when he became caught between the sump pit and a pipe.

Oakland

97.

11/23/17

Sheriff

A county sheriff, standing well off the roadway, was struck by a fleeting motorist being pursued by another county sheriff department.

Oakland

96.

10/2/17

Financial officer

A financial officer died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Oakland

95.

2017

Automotive mechanic

An automotive mechanic died from a self-inflicted hanging.

Alpena

94.

9/1/17

Auto Repair

An auto repair shop owner/drag racer died when a fitting on a nitrous oxide tank failed and struck his head.

Kalamazoo

93.

8/16/17

Landscaper

A landscaper died from complications of a fall.

Oakland

92.

8/5/17

Farm Hand

A farm hand died when he was compressed by/pinned beneath a tractor pulling a trailer.

A farmer was repositioning a cherry picker when he was pinned by the cherry picker against a wall.

Cass

75.

10/18/17

Construction

A construction worker died from injuries sustained when a rock was thrown from an overpass, striking the vehicle in which he was a passenger.

Genesee

74.

Not a Work-Related case.

73.

10/16/17

Retail Sales

A retail sales person died from a gunshot wound.

Wayne

72.

7/12/17

Pizza Delivery

A pizza deliveryman died when the van he was driving was struck by another vehicle. The decedent's vehicle was making a left turn into a business's driveway when the van was struck by the oncoming vehicle.

A refuse collector was struck and pinned by a vehicle attempting to pass the trash truck.

Wayne

69.

6/28/17

Electrical Worker

An electrical worker died from a self-inflicted fall.

Wayne

68.

8.10.17

Farmer

A farmer died when the tractor he was operating rolled over into a pond.

Washtenaw

67.

8/9/17

Mechanic

A diesel mechanic died following a suspected fall while in a trucking terminal.

Washtenaw

66.

5/17/17

Truck Driver

A truck driver died when the semi he was driving overturned to the drivers side due to a load shift due to excessive speed while on a ramp entering an expressway.

Washtenaw

65.

5/9/17

State Representative

A state representative died from a self-inflicted hanging.

Ingham

64.

9/10/17

Mechanic

A mechanic died while after performing brake work on a car. The car was lowered and another individual started the car and began to move it to remove the wedge which had been placed behind the rear tire while the decedent stood a short distance in front of the car. The brakes failed and the decedent was pinned.

Lapeer

63.

9/20/17

State Trooper

A state trooper was responding to an incident on his motorcycle when he was struck by a vehicle.

Kent

62.

8/26/17

Farmer

A farmer died when he was pinned under his tractor when, for reasons unknown, the tractor entered a drainage ditch and rolled over.

Ionia

61.

8/27/17

Electrician

An electrician was performing electrical work in the attic of a church when he was electrocuted